Puerto Rico

The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico is an example of a territory that has been greatly influenced by numerous distinctive cultures. Since the Age of Discovery, the island has been an object of the imperial ambitions of great world powers, which has caused its colonization and an inflow of vast numbers of diverse groups of people. These circumstances have converted Puerto Rico into a multicultural and interconfessional place where various customs, traditions, and beliefs coexist. This feature is reinforced by the processes of globalization, which favor the diffusion of cultural elements and religious syncretism.

An unincorporated territory of the United States, Puerto Rico is a predominantly Catholic region. Roman Catholicism was instilled into the majority of the Puerto Rican population during Spanish rule over the island from the 15th to the end of the 19th century. When the United States took control of Puerto Rico in 1898, Protestant churches were gradually introduced. Today, about two thirds of Puerto Ricans remain adherents of Roman Catholicism, and more than one fourth are Protestants. Puerto Rican Christians have not only adopted incoming denominations but have also established their own churches (such as the Mita Congregation, founded in 1940 and since having spread to numerous Latin American countries, the United States, Canada, and Spain) and religious traditions (e.g., Clamor a Diós, originated by Jorge Raschke and held annually in San Juan). Apart from Christianity (proclaimed by 97% of the population), several other religions are practiced in Puerto Rico. Some traditional African religions brought by slaves centuries ago still prevail. The most popular are Santería, rooted in Yoruba beliefs (found in the towns of Loiza and Carolina) and Mayombe Palo, deriving from Congo basin tribes (found in the city of Guayama). Indigenous Taíno beliefs were also rediscovered toward the end of the 20th century. Moreover, the island hosts minor groups of adherents to non-Christian world religions, such as Muslims (predominantly in Ponce, Vega Alta, and Río Piedras), Tibetan Buddhists, and representatives of major movements within Judaism (Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox).

This crossing of traditions is by no means a recent phenomenon but began with the arrival of European settlers in America. Nevertheless, the clash of cultures is facilitated and accelerated in the era of the “global village.” Globalization has influenced the Puerto Rican religious scene by encouraging a revival of indigenous traditions, the import of rival world religions, and the spread of new denominations and churches. Nevertheless, Puerto Rico in contemporary times serves not only as a receptive field for external influences but also as the source of new systems of belief and cultural elements. In the era of globalization, Puerto Rico is assuming a far more active role in the cultural distribution chain than it has been assigned in the past.